Subject:The Pet Q&A Thread

This is a thread about pets. If you have questions/concerns about your pet...post it here, and maybe one of us can answer your question.

I have a question for cat owners....

have any of you used those Soft Paws/Soft Claws for your cat? They are these little rubber things that you slip over their claws, so that they can't scratch up your furniture, etc. They are a more humane way of preventing this versus getting them declawed.I was just wondering if any of you have used these, and if they are effective or not?

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:Apricoton12/11/06 at 7:24 pm

I don't own cats, but I read up about these..

Apparently, you glue them to your cat's paws. First off, I wouldn't trust them staying on. Secondly, the pics looked like they were basically nailguards.. those aren't gonna do a whole a lot.

If you have huge moral opposition to declawing, I guess this is the most logical choice, but I think it would probably be a lot less hassle to just declaw the cats.. although I don't know if that's painful for the cats or not.

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:lorac61469on12/11/06 at 7:38 pm

This is a thread about pets. If you have questions/concerns about your pet...post it here, and maybe one of us can answer your question.

I have a question for cat owners....

have any of you used those Soft Paws/Soft Claws for your cat? They are these little rubber things that you slip over their claws, so that they can't scratch up your furniture, etc. They are a more humane way of preventing this versus getting them declawed.I was just wondering if any of you have used these, and if they are effective or not?

I haven't tried them...my couch wishes I had! LOL!! I usually just trim my cats nails with a clipper. I wouldn't mind trying Soft Claws but I's probably need to sedate my cats so they would hold still for me.

If you have huge moral opposition to declawing, I guess this is the most logical choice, but I think it would probably be a lot less hassle to just declaw the cats.. although I don't know if that's painful for the cats or not.

It's got to be painful, they actually remove up to the first knuckle (not sure if it's called a knuckle, but it's removed bone and all) of the cat's toe. Ouch!!

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:quirky_cat_girlon12/11/06 at 7:40 pm

Ya, I've read a bunch of testimonials (I don't know how reliable those are)....that said how impressed they were by them. It would be really hard to get them on their nails...my cats wiggle even after holding them for 5 seconds...however, our couches are getting ripped to shreds...and I just don't want to declaw my cat (my one cat is already declawed...done by a previous owner).

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:Brian06on12/11/06 at 9:08 pm

Yeah I would never have my cat declawed, she scratches things a bit, but she's not too bad.

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:quirky_cat_girlon12/11/06 at 9:09 pm

maybe I will get one of those scratching posts and put it by the couches....then perhaps she will go there instead of the side of my couch. :-\\

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:Sister Morphineon12/11/06 at 9:33 pm

I had my cat declawed because A) she's an indoor cat and is not allowed outside and B) she was tearing up our furniture and scratching us.

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:Dominic L.on12/11/06 at 9:35 pm

:( I hate the feeling after I cut my nails. Just think what the cats must feel for the rest of their lives!

If they scratch your furniture, put aluminum foil on the furniture for a few days, and they should stop. Cats HATE the feel of aluminum foil... Or so I'm told.

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:quirky_cat_girlon12/11/06 at 9:35 pm

:( I hate the feeling after I cut my nails. Just think what the cats must feel for the rest of their lives!

If they scratch your furniture, put aluminum foil on the furniture for a few days, and they should stop. Cats HATE the feel of aluminum foil... Or so I'm told.

hehehe...my couch would look so RAD covered in aluminum foil....it would look like a nifty space ship!! ;D

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:lorac61469on12/11/06 at 9:43 pm

Keep a squirt bottle filled with water near the couch, whenever the cat scratches spray the water at him. After a few times they should stop.

Also they sell clear plastic sheets (they're lightweight and bendable for corners) that you can attach to your furniture with pins or Velcro which work pretty well. My sister has them, I'll ask her where she got them and I'll let you know.

Oh, if you don't want the spaceship look you could always try balloons taped to the furniture. LOL!!!

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:quirky_cat_girlon12/11/06 at 9:49 pm

Keep a squirt bottle filled with water near the couch, whenever the cat scratches spray the water at him. After a few times they should stop.

Also they sell clear plastic sheets (they're lightweight and bendable for corners) that you can attach to your furniture with pins or Velcro which work pretty well. My sister has them, I'll ask her where she got them and I'll let you know.

Oh, if you don't want the spaceship look you could always try balloons taped to the furniture. LOL!!!

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

heck ya....hey, there's how I can start earning some money to pay off all of my bills! ;D :D

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:Dominic L.on12/11/06 at 10:10 pm

heck ya....hey, there's how I can start earning some money to pay off all of my bills! ;D :D

Yes! Also, you can paint some mediocre paintings.

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:quirky_cat_girlon12/11/06 at 10:14 pm

Yes! Also, you can paint some mediocre paintings.

wow...how did you know? I was actually (quite seriously) going to start up painting as a hobby! :o

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:Dominic L.on12/11/06 at 10:15 pm

wow...how did you know? I was actually (quite seriously) going to start up painting as a hobby! :o

=o

Well, go fer it! It's always worth a shot... Who knows? You may get good at it (If you're not already)!

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:quirky_cat_girlon12/11/06 at 10:16 pm

=o

Well, go fer it! It's always worth a shot... Who knows? You may get good at it (If you're not already)!

I think I will!

now...back the old topic of pets.....um, so....if I decide to get those soft claw/paw things...I think Imma go for hot pink....kit kat would look so stylin' in that color! ;D :D

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:bookmistress4everon12/17/06 at 3:32 am

I never see my cat drinking water. I mean, I put it in her dish every day, sometimes she likes to play the "tip my dish over to get attention" game. >:( But, like I never see her drinking. Do you think gets enough water from her moist food? She eats at least 3 foil pouches a day. How can I tell if she's dehydrated?

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:Sister Morphineon12/17/06 at 3:38 am

I never see my cat drinking water. I mean, I put it in her dish every day, sometimes she likes to play the "tip my dish over to get attention" game. >:( But, like I never see her drinking. Do you think gets enough water from her moist food? She eats at least 3 foil pouches a day. How can I tell if she's dehydrated?

Do you have to refill the water when it's empty? As long as she has a bowl of water near her food bowl, she should drink. My cat gets one foil pouch of food in the morning and then if she wants to eat during the day, she has her dry food.

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:quirky_cat_girlon12/17/06 at 9:23 pm

Do you guys think it is strange for a cat to only like dry food...and absolutely hate treats? My cats will ONLY eat dry food, and they despise treats of any kind. It's odd because the cats I have had over the years ALWAYS loved treats, and soft food....hmmm...I guess they all have their preference. ;D

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:Sister Morphineon12/17/06 at 9:25 pm

Do you guys think it is strange for a cat to only like dry food...and absolutely hate treats? My cats will ONLY eat dry food, and they despise treats of any kind. It's odd because the cats I have had over the years ALWAYS loved treats, and soft food....hmmm...I guess they all have their preference. ;D

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

It's so funny how cats each have their own little personalities.....well, I've always said...cats are just little people with fur! :D ;D

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:Sister Morphineon12/17/06 at 9:28 pm

It's so funny how cats each have their own little personalities.....well, I've always said...cats are just little people with fur! :D ;D

My cat is a spoiled primadonna bitch. You know how adult female cats are called queens? Well, she acts like one.

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:nicki_morrisseyon12/17/06 at 9:46 pm

I'm so glad you made this thread, Erin! I have a question that's been troubling me for about 6 years now.

I once heard that all calico cats are female. Is that true..?

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:quirky_cat_girlon12/17/06 at 9:50 pm

I'm so glad you made this thread, Erin! I have a question that's been troubling me for about 6 years now.

I once heard that all calico cats are female. Is that true..?

hmm...that's a very good question...but I don't know the answer. I had a calico cat once...and she was indeed a female. Wow, that's something if that's true. :)

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:bookmistress4everon12/17/06 at 11:08 pm

Do you have to refill the water when it's empty? As long as she has a bowl of water near her food bowl, she should drink. My cat gets one foil pouch of food in the morning and then if she wants to eat during the day, she has her dry food.

Yeah I do refill the water when it's empty but the only time it's empty is when she tips the dish over with her paw. I give her fresh water (in a clean dish) every day. I probably spoil her with the pouch food, but she lets me know when she's hungry, and I give it to her, cause she's my baby.

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:bookmistress4everon12/17/06 at 11:09 pm

I heard that the majority of white cats with blue eyes are deaf. That seems like a weird statistic. I had a white male blue eyed kitty and he wasn't deaf.

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:quirky_cat_girlon12/17/06 at 11:28 pm

I heard that the majority of white cats with blue eyes are deaf. That seems like a weird statistic. I had a white male blue eyed kitty and he wasn't deaf.

I have a white cat, but she doesn't have blue eyes...and she's not deaf either. :D

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:Sister Morphineon12/17/06 at 11:34 pm

I heard that the majority of white cats with blue eyes are deaf. That seems like a weird statistic. I had a white male blue eyed kitty and he wasn't deaf.

The reason they are deaf is because :

The white masking gene, W/w. The dominant allele of this gene masks all other colors by preventing pigment producing cell migration to the skin during embryologic development. In other words, the cat has a greatly reduced number of melanocytes. Although often called a "dominant" gene it is properly called epistatic White, as it masks the effects of all other color genes. A cat that is WW or Ww will be white, no matter what other color genes it may have. A cat that is homozygous recessive (ww) will express normal pigmentation. Some cats with the W allele of this gene are deaf and/or have depigmentation of the iris of one or both eyes, resulting in blue eye color. White cats are also more likely to get skin cancer.

And for the person who wanted to know why/if calico cats were female:

For a cat to be a tortoiseshell or calico, it must simultaneously express both of the alleles, O and o, which are two versions of the same gene, located at the same location on the X chromosome. Males normally cannot do this: they can have only one allele, as they have only one X chromosome. Virtually all tortoiseshell or calico cats are females. Occasionally a male is born (the rate is approximately 1 in 3,000 ). These may have Klinefelter's syndrome, carrying an extra X chromosome, and will almost always be sterile or they may be a chimera resulting from the fusion of two differently coloured embryos.

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:Dominic L.on12/17/06 at 11:35 pm

If a cat has one blue eye and one green eye, chances are the ear corresponding to the blue eye is deaf.

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:nicki_morrisseyon12/18/06 at 3:40 am

And for the person who wanted to know why/if calico cats were female:

For a cat to be a tortoiseshell or calico, it must simultaneously express both of the alleles, O and o, which are two versions of the same gene, located at the same location on the X chromosome. Males normally cannot do this: they can have only one allele, as they have only one X chromosome. Virtually all tortoiseshell or calico cats are females. Occasionally a male is born (the rate is approximately 1 in 3,000 ). These may have Klinefelter's syndrome, carrying an extra X chromosome, and will almost always be sterile or they may be a chimera resulting from the fusion of two differently coloured embryos.

Thank god I took biology in high school and college. That makes some sense to me.

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:quirky_cat_girlon12/21/06 at 10:56 pm

I don't know how true this is...I read it somewhere one time in a book about cats. It said that if you kneel down, put your arms behind your back....and look at your cat and slowly blink both eyes over and over again....that it means "I love you". :D

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:Dominic L.on12/21/06 at 10:57 pm

I don't know how true this is...I read it somewhere one time in a book about cats. It said that if you kneel down, put your arms behind your back....and look at your cat and slowly blink both eyes over and over again....that it means "I love you". :D

Ah, but do the cats know that!?

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:quirky_cat_girlon12/21/06 at 10:58 pm

Ah, but do the cats know that!?

they said that supposedly they do. :D

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:Sister Morphineon12/21/06 at 10:59 pm

I don't know how true this is...I read it somewhere one time in a book about cats. It said that if you kneel down, put your arms behind your back....and look at your cat and slowly blink both eyes over and over again....that it means "I love you". :D

I do that to my cat all the time, and then she comes over and nuzzles my nose. I <3 her.

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:Dominic L.on12/21/06 at 10:59 pm

they said that supposedly they do. :D

That's strange, especially since cats can't do that with their paws...

... Or can they? :o

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:quirky_cat_girlon12/21/06 at 11:00 pm

I do that to my cat all the time, and then she comes over and nuzzles my nose. I <3 her.

I've done it to my cats too...and I swear..they do it back (well, minus the whole paws behind the back). ;D

That's strange, especially since cats can't do that with their paws...

... Or can they? :o

they just blink their eyes. ;)

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:bookmistress4everon12/21/06 at 11:12 pm

Ahhh...so *that's* what it means!!!

I've been blinking with my cat and she blinks back and I wondered what it meant. Sweeet! :-*

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:CatwomanofVon12/22/06 at 11:18 am

I never see my cat drinking water. I mean, I put it in her dish every day, sometimes she likes to play the "tip my dish over to get attention" game. >:( But, like I never see her drinking. Do you think gets enough water from her moist food? She eats at least 3 foil pouches a day. How can I tell if she's dehydrated?

To tell if a cat is dehydrated, pick up the skin on the back of the neck. If it goes back in place right away, she is fine. But if the skin stands up on its own for a bit, than she is dehydrated.

I have had a tortishell, a calico, (and yes both were females) and a white cat (male) with two different color eyes who was deaf. Because of the one eye, he wasn't a pure albino. The calico is sleeping behind me at the moment.

Cat

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:Dominic L.on12/22/06 at 11:19 am

Full grown cats are only supposed to have one bowl of food a day.

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:quirky_cat_girlon12/22/06 at 11:54 am

Full grown cats are only supposed to have one bowl of food a day.

get this...my cats share a bowl...and I only have to refill it every other day. They just don't eat that much....but they are both healthy.

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:CatwomanofVon12/22/06 at 12:07 pm

get this...my cats share a bowl...and I only have to refill it every other day. They just don't eat that much....but they are both healthy.

We have 3 seperate bowls-our old one (Andy) is on special food so we put the regular food up-but the little one (Elvira) can't get to the place where we have the regular food for Electra. So, we have a bowl that Elvira can reach. (She used to be on kitten chow-AUUUGGHH!! 3 cats/3 different kind of food). But the 2 girls "help" Andy empty his bowl. (Andy used to help Elvira empty her bowl of the kitten chow). Electra eats and eats and eats. The cat is getting fat. If Andy didn't need to eat (he lost a lot of weight since he became sick a few months ago), we would put the food down a few times a day.

And if I totally confused you, don't feel bad. It is very confusing trying to keep their food strieght (not to mention their meds).

Cat

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:quirky_cat_girlon12/22/06 at 12:18 pm

We have 3 seperate bowls-our old one (Andy) is on special food so we put the regular food up-but the little one (Elvira) can't get to the place where we have the regular food for Electra. So, we have a bowl that Elvira can reach. (She used to be on kitten chow-AUUUGGHH!! 3 cats/3 different kind of food). But the 2 girls "help" Andy empty his bowl. (Andy used to help Elvira empty her bowl of the kitten chow). Electra eats and eats and eats. The cat is getting fat. If Andy didn't need to eat (he lost a lot of weight since he became sick a few months ago), we would put the food down a few times a day.

And if I totally confused you, don't feel bad. It is very confusing trying to keep their food strieght (not to mention their meds).

Cat

do you think it is odd that my cats don't eat that much? I just went down to check on their food (which I filled the day before yesterday)....and there is STILL food there! I change their water all the time....but they just don't eat too much. They don't like treats either...or soft food. :D

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:CatwomanofVon12/22/06 at 12:44 pm

do you think it is odd that my cats don't eat that much? I just went down to check on their food (which I filled the day before yesterday)....and there is STILL food there! I change their water all the time....but they just don't eat too much. They don't like treats either...or soft food. :D

Let me ask you this, were they ever strays? My guess, probably not. Strays have a tendicy of eating a lot because there was a time when they didn't know when they would have their next meal. Electra was feral and Elvira was a stray. (Another cat I had was a stray and she couldn't stop eating). Electra also doesn't eat treats too much-I think they are too hard for her but if I get the the soft ones, she will eat it. The strange thing about this cat is that she won't eat anything but cat food. I try to give her meat sometimes. I have NEVER seen a cat who won't eat chicken. As long as they are healthy, I wouldn't worry about it.

Cat

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:quirky_cat_girlon12/22/06 at 1:30 pm

Let me ask you this, were they ever strays? My guess, probably not. Strays have a tendicy of eating a lot because there was a time when they didn't know when they would have their next meal. Electra was feral and Elvira was a stray. (Another cat I had was a stray and she couldn't stop eating). Electra also doesn't eat treats too much-I think they are too hard for her but if I get the the soft ones, she will eat it. The strange thing about this cat is that she won't eat anything but cat food. I try to give her meat sometimes. I have NEVER seen a cat who won't eat chicken. As long as they are healthy, I wouldn't worry about it.

Cat

I know Kit-Kat was a stray at one time. I adopted her from Petsmart...and the story behind her was that she was from W. Virginia....and there was this priest who would rescue stray cats and take them in until a shelter would take them and find them a home...so I know that she was....however, I have no idea about Anna. I got her from a lady that had to get rid of her because her 3 year old daughter was being nasty to her. She eats more than Kit-Kat...Anna is pretty, well..plump. :) Thanks for the advice! :)

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:quirky_cat_girlon05/03/07 at 11:22 pm

Ok....so I had read awhile back that feeding your cat only dry food wasn't very nutritious, as it's too much carbs and too little protein/meat (which they need more)...so I was advised to start feeding them soft food. I found a good kind, that doesn't consist of mainly fillers, and the first ingredient is actually the meat and not some byproduct....well, my one cat (Kit-Kat) who was pretty thin and losing some of her fur (by her butt)....took to it very well...she has put on some weight and she has a very nice coat of fur now. My other cat (Anna) who was pleasantly plump...doesn't seem to be eating that much at all. She's lost some weight and I am just afraid that she will get sick from not eating, etc. Does anyone know if I should maybe try switching to another brand of soft food..or should I incorporate some dry food with the soft food? Any advice would be appreciated. :)

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:audkalon05/04/07 at 3:27 pm

Erin, yeah canned food is generally a better idea, but do you know about grain-free dry cat foods? :) (Since one of your cats doesn't like the canned). They are very high in protein, here are some of the brands:

ETA: It's usually better to have canned mostly because of the water content--but I would stay away from canned for now because of all the recalls (which are mostly on the canned ones).

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:quirky_cat_girlon05/04/07 at 10:52 pm

Erin, yeah canned food is generally a better idea, but do you know about grain-free dry cat foods? :) (Since one of your cats doesn't like the canned). They are very high in protein, here are some of the brands:

ETA: It's usually better to have canned mostly because of the water content--but I would stay away from canned for now because of all the recalls (which are mostly on the canned ones).

thanks Audrey...I appreciate the info! :)

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:audkalon05/04/07 at 11:06 pm

You are very welcome! :)

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:Marty McFlyon05/17/07 at 1:38 am

One thing I've heard. I don't know it to be true (although it makes sense), is that if a cat, especially a male, rubs its head against you, it means it's marking you as its "territory".

There was this one really friendly neighborhood cat in one of our apartment complexes when I was 12, who did that to me all the time. I've never known a cat to really do this, but he used to come over to our house (usually in the afternoon) sometimes, then he'd go back to his own place. It was like a routine, lol. I got to be friends with his owners, so they were cool with it as long as we didn't do it too much, and didn't feed him.

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:CatwomanofVon05/17/07 at 11:34 am

One thing I've heard. I don't know it to be true (although it makes sense), is that if a cat, especially a male, rubs its head against you, it means it's marking you as its "territory".

There was this one really friendly neighborhood cat in one of our apartment complexes when I was 12, who did that to me all the time. I've never known a cat to really do this, but he used to come over to our house (usually in the afternoon) sometimes, then he'd go back to his own place. It was like a routine, lol. I got to be friends with his owners, so they were cool with it as long as we didn't do it too much, and didn't feed him.

Yes, it is true-for the most part. Cats have a tendency of marking their territory with the head, neck, and body (sometimes with other stuff that comes out of their bodies. ::) ). Other times it could be that they want attention (or something else like food) or have an itch. But 9 times out of 10, it is to mark their territory.

Cat

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:quirky_cat_girlon05/17/07 at 12:47 pm

Do any of your have pet insurance? And if so, could you recommend a good plan that covers a lot, doesn't have a huge deductible, and isn't very costly?

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:quirky_cat_girlon09/19/07 at 10:23 am

Ok pet owners.....in your opinion, which is a better flea medication....Advantage, or Frontline? My cats have fleas. :( Poor Kit-Kat...she didn't have any...and then when Beth brought home Oliver Moonboots, he had fleas from being outside. Now they both have horrible fleas...and I need to know which is better. Also, have any of you tried a more natural remedy? I am open to any suggestions. :)

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:CatwomanofVon09/19/07 at 12:59 pm

Ok pet owners.....in your opinion, which is a better flea medication....Advantage, or Frontline? My cats have fleas. :( Poor Kit-Kat...she didn't have any...and then when Beth brought home Oliver Moonboots, he had fleas from being outside. Now they both have horrible fleas...and I need to know which is better. Also, have any of you tried a more natural remedy? I am open to any suggestions. :)

Good question. We are lucky because neither one of our cats have fleas-even Elvira when she was a stray (but she had ear mites & worms ::) ) but the vet used something-just in case. As for which flea medication is better? I would call your vet and ask them which one they recommend.

Cat

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:Marianon09/19/07 at 2:24 pm

This is a thread about pets. If you have questions/concerns about your pet...post it here, and maybe one of us can answer your question.

I have a question for cat owners....

have any of you used those Soft Paws/Soft Claws for your cat? They are these little rubber things that you slip over their claws, so that they can't scratch up your furniture, etc. They are a more humane way of preventing this versus getting them declawed.I was just wondering if any of you have used these, and if they are effective or not?We havent.My Abyssianian-maine Coon,when she was a kitten ,learned not to use her claws inappropriately when my big Siamese mix male would chomp her whenever she showed her claws right at his face!

Subject:Re: The Pet Q&A Thread

Written By:quirky_cat_girlon09/25/07 at 2:32 pm

Good question. We are lucky because neither one of our cats have fleas-even Elvira when she was a stray (but she had ear mites & worms ::) ) but the vet used something-just in case. As for which flea medication is better? I would call your vet and ask them which one they recommend.

Cat

I think that's what I will do. I have to make an appointment soon to get him neutered anyway...so I will just ask then.